Centrifugal casting-machine



1. B. LADD. CENTRIFUGAL CASTINGMAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOVLI. |918.

Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1.

Ivm l J. B. LADD. CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION'FILED NOV. 1| 191B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 27, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. LADD, 0F ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES CAST IRON PIPE AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, 0F BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CENTRIFUG-AL CASTING-MACHIN E.

Application led November 1, 1918. Serial No.

To all Vuzom, t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES B. LADD, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Ardmore, in the county of Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Casting-Machines, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My present invention relates to centrifugal casting machines, and was particularly devised for use in machines for casting iron pipes of relatively large size, though the invention is not restricted to such use.

The general object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of the rotary portion of such a machine and the earings in which it is journaled.

Thev various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming Va part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, and the advantages possessed by it and specific objects obtained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawingsV and descriptive matter wherein I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section through a pipe casting machine.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine. F F ig. I3 is a section on the line 3 3 of ig. l. v F1 `ig. 4 is a section on the line 4.-4 of 4ig. 5 is a section taken similarly to Fig. l, but on a larger scale and showing a portion only of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view taken similarly to Fig. l

l illustrating a modification, and

Fig. 7 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 6 of a portion of the machine differing slightly from that shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, and referring irst to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, A, A are spaced apart pedestals which form the supporting framework in which the rotating mold of the casting machine is journaled. The rotating mold comprises a mold -body D proper, which, when the .moldis in- Specication of Letters Patent.

i naled therein.

.sequence to the bearings.

Patented July 27, 1920.

tended for forming bell end pipes, as in the construction shown, may advantageously comprise a separablel bell end section' LD bolted to the body of the mold. The ends of the mold proper are bolted to heads or end members B and BA, which extend through* the pedestals A, A and are jour- Preferably, as shown the end members B and B are ball bearings. The ball bearing C for the end member B comprises an| inner bearing member C', which is preferably made' separable from the end member B but shrunk on or otherwise secured to the latter, and is formed in its periphery with a circumferential groove forming the inner ball race for the bearing balls C2. The bearin also comprises an outer bearing member a received in the cylindrical seat A' of the corresponding pedestal A, and formed of two annular parts lying on opposite sides of the plane passing through the ball centers. The outer bearing member is secured in the pedestal seat i between an integral flange A2 of the pedestal and a removable llange A3. The adjacent edges of the two halves of the outer bearing member are beveled oit' to provide a circumferential raceway for the roller balls. The division of the outer bearing member C3 into two halves, as described, permits of a takeup adjustment to compensate for wear and facilitates the assemblage and taking apart of the apparatus. The bearing CG between the mold and member BA of the corresponding pedestal difers from the bearing C only in that the inner bearing member C19, shrunk or otherwise secured on the member BA, is formed with a cylindrical outer surface. With this arrangement the bearing C prevents axial displacement of the corresponding end of the rotating mold, while the bearing CC permits the m0 d body to expand and contract in length as its temperature varies without an lnjurlous conach pedestal A is advantageously divided into separable upper and lower parts, as indicated at A4, to facilitate the removal of the mold from the pedestals. l

The bell end of the mold is closed durin the casting operation by an end member which is seated in the end head B, and is detachably secured therein by means of the clamping bolts E. As shown, the end membearings for the ber E is formed with an axial bearing E for the corresponding end of a mold charging trou h, portion 3 projecting into the mold cavity and forming a seat for the removable flange member E* on which is mounted the frangible core E5, which forms a short inner wall portion of the mold cavity at the bell end of the mold. The opposite end of the mold cavity is closed against the outiow of molten metal during the casting operation by an annular member F received in the mold body D, and preferably adj ustably secured along the length of the latter as by means of set screws to permit of the ready formation of cast pipes P of different lengths. The removal of the mold end member E at the end of the casting operation permits a pipe P, formed in the mold, to be withdrawn from the mold through the' corresponding end of the latter.

To avoid overheating of the mold I have provided means for water coolinfr it.v .The water cooling means shown in Figs. 1-5 comprises a stationary shell G surrounding the mold body and separated from the latter b la water space with an inlet connection 1 for cooling Water at one end, preferably the bell end, of the mold'and an outlet G2 for the cooling water at the other end ofthe mold. The shell G is shown as divided along a diametrical plane into sepaenlarged Aat one end to form a bell ended rable halves bolted together, and is su ported at its ends upon brackets 5- projecting from the inner Asides of. the pedestals A. To prevent leakage out of the water space at the ends of the shell G, suitable packings are provided between thev ends of the shell G and the end members B and BA. Asv shown, each packing comprises a resilientA annular member H, formed of metal and rigidly secured at one edge to the end members B and BA, and having a sliding contact at its other ed e with the corresponding end of the shell This arrangement for sealing the joints between a rotating mold and a stationary water pocket surroundingy the mold is not claimed herein, but is claimed in my c0- pending application, Serial No. 260,656, filed of even date herewith.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 6 the mold DD proper is surrounded by a sleeve or mold housing BB, which integrally connects the rotatable bearing heads vtheir general construction and arrangement,

and in the manner in which they are mounted in the pedestals A, with the rotating heads B and BA, respectively, first described. Asshown, the mold DD, which is pipe, is held in the rotatable housing BB by thefmold end -member EFL; When the and with a surrounding tubular The latter from their in 'The tubular body portion of the housing member BB is separated from the mold between the ends of the latter by a cooling water space. The rotatable mold housing BB is provided with a stuifing box B20 for the spigot end of the mold to prevent leakage out of the water space between the mold proper and the mold housing member BB. Surrounding the rotatable mold housing member BB is a stationary shell GA which may be formed and supported in substantially the same manner-as vis the shell G of the construction first described, except that a rib G4 is preferably formed integrally of the shell GA to cause the cooling water entering the shell through the inlet G to pass, for the most part, into the water space between the mold and the tubular body BB through the ports B2, formedin the member BB. Ports B3 are formed in the member BB, adjacent the spigot end of the mold, to permit the water flowing along the mold body DD proper to pass to the outlet G2.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 7 differs from that shown in Fig. 6 essentially, only in that the housing body BC is bolted to the bearing heads of the mold housing instead of being integrallconnected thereto, as shown in Fig. 6. In

ig. 7 also the cooling water j passes between the external cooling watery pipes and the space between lthe mold body 5 proper and the shell BC through a passage mold housing head and through ports B7 formed in a radial wallB8 at the side of the passage B6. Inner and outer flexible metallic gasket members H and HA, secured to the outer stationary shell 5GB, and bearing jagainst the wall B8, cooperate to form an annular water channel opening at one side ll BG formed in the correspondlng rotating,

tionA bearings'provided are of a character to permit ready adjustments to compensate for wear, and the eas replacement of broken and worn parts. he lbearings'moreover do A-not interfere with, and do not have their efficiency reduced by the thermal expansion` and contraction in length of the mold. The formation of the mold body proper with a removable bell end section, as illustratedv in the construction shown in Figs. l to 5, re-

duce the initial cost of construction of such ya mold, and permits of the formation of pipes having dferently shaped bell ends by the substitution of different bell end sections of the mold. The provisions made for the ready removal of the mold proper from its rotatable housing, possible with the constructions shown in Figs. 6 and 7, possess important practical advantages under certain conditions of use., In particular, it facilitates the production of pipes of different shapes in the same castingv machine, since it is a very simple and easy matter to replace one mold proper by another. Under some conditions also it is practically preferable to withdraw the mold proper, with the casting formed therein, and then extract the casting from the mold, rather than to draw the casting from the mold while the latter is mounted in the casting machine as is practically necessary with the constructions shown in Figs. l to 5. The construction shown in Fig. 7 has the special advantage over that shown in Fig. 6, that the rotatable mold housing may be less expensively and more advantageously cast in sections than in a single integral casting in some cases, and particularly in the case of machines for forming extra large pipe. Certain novel features of construction and arrangement pertaining to the water cooling of a rotatable mold end construction areJ claimed in my copending application Serial No. 260,656, led of even date herewith.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I have illustrated and described the best form of my invention now i known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of my invention without departing from its spirit, and that some features of my invention may sometimes be used to advantage without a correspondinguse o1 other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: Y

l. In a centrifugal casting machine the combination with a rotary mold and the supporting framework therefor, of ball bearings between said framework and the ends of the rotary mold, each of said bearings comprising inner and outer bearing members, the two bearing members of one bearing, and one bearing member of the other bearing, being formed each with a circumferential groove serving as a raceway for the bearing balls, and the fourth bearing member having a cylindrical ball engaging surface whereby bodily axial displacement of the mold relative to the framework is prevented while thermal expansion and contraction of the mold is permitted.

2. In a centrifugal casting machine the combination with a rotating mold and the supporting framework therefor, of a ball bearing between said framework and mold, comprising inner and outer bearing members and balls between said members, one of said members being divided transversely to the axis of rotation into two parts having adjacent corners beveled off to form a circumferential groove serving as a ballway and means for adjusting the distance between said parts to compensate for wear.

3. In a centrifugal casting machine the combination with a rotatablemold proper, of a rotatable housing in which the mold proper is removably inserted, said housing comprising end portions projecting beyond the ends of the mold proper and of greater diameter than the body of the housing, and a supporting framework in which said end portions of the mold housing are journaled.

4. In a centrifugal casting machine the combination with a rotatable mold proper,

of a rotatable housing in which the mold.

proper is removably inserted, said housing comprising end portions projecting beyond the ends of the mold proper, a supporting framework in which said. end portions of the housing are journaled, said housing and mold proper being spaced apart between the ends of the mold to provide a cooling water space, and cooling water circulating connections to said space.

5. In a centrifugal pipe casting machine, the combination with a rotatable mold body proper, of a rotatable housing in which said mold body is removably inserted, said housing comprising end portions projecting beyond the ends of the mold proper and a mold end member detachably secured to one of the end pieces of the housing and adapted to hold the mold body in place'in the housing and to close4 the end of the mold cavit JAMES .B. LAlgD.` 

